You're heading home from a long day at school. The few blocks you have to walk to your house usually fly by as you anxiously look forward to an after-school snack. After a day full of tests, though, you're moving more slowly than normal.

Suddenly, up ahead, you notice something in the distance. In the dim light, you can't make out exactly what it is. As you approach, it takes shape. It's a black cat and, as it hears your footsteps, it streaks across the street directly in front of you.

Oh no! What should you do? Should you stop, turn around, and take the long way home by going around the block? Or should you press on, ignoring the uneasy feeling in the pit of your stomach? After all, it's probably just a silly superstition, right? Could a black cat crossing your path really bring bad luck?

That's exactly what many people believe. Black cats have been associated with bad luck and evil for hundreds of years. But why? How exactly did a cuddly little kitty cat get such a bad reputation?

After all, things certainly didn't start that way for the humble feline. Over 5,000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians revered and even worshipped cats. A person caught killing a cat could face the death penalty.

So what happened? Most historians trace superstitions about black cats back to Europe in the Middle Ages. At that time, some older women were accused of witchcraft and practicing black magic. Many of these women had cats as companions, so they became guilty by association.

This belief was solidified by a piece of widespread folklore that began circulating in the mid-16th century. According to legend, a father and son were traveling together on a moonless night, when a black cat crossed their path.

They threw stones at the cat until the poor, injured animal found its way into the nearby home of a woman suspected of being a witch. The next day, the father and son saw the woman bruised and limping, which led them to begin telling everyone that the woman — and thus all other witches — could turn into black cats at night to prowl the streets unnoticed.

This belief was eventually echoed in America during the time of the Salem witch trials. Of course, the association between black cats and evil or bad luck is nothing more than a superstition. Still, it remains a belief held by many people. In fact, the next time Halloween rolls around, take notice of how many black cats you see on Halloween decorations.

It's not all bad news for black cats, however. There are some places in the world where black cats are honored. For example, many people in Scotland, Great Britain, Japan, and Russia view black cats as signs of good luck and prosperity!

Wonder Contributors

We’d like to thank:

Elisha and jasmine for contributing questions about today’s Wonder topic!

Wonder Words (18)

Did you get it?

Wonder What's Next?

Tomorrow’s Wonder of the Day just might sneak up on you!

Try It Out

Are you superstitious? Find out when you explore the following activities with a friend or family member:

Take an informal poll of your friends and family members. How many of them have heard the superstition about black cats bringing bad luck, especially if they cross your path? Do any of them believe it? Why or why not? What other superstitions have they heard of? Are there any superstitions they believe have any merit? If so, what are they?

Put yourself in the shoes — or paws — of a black cat. How would you feel if everyone thought that you brought bad luck? Would it hurt your feelings? Or would you like to be left alone? What do you think? Do real black cats have an inferiority complex because of a silly superstition? Or are they perfectly happy to be left alone? Discuss your thoughts with a friend. Have fun thinking like a cat!

Up for a challenge? Create your own folklore story that explains how you believe black cats came to be associated with bad luck. Use your imagination and be as creative as you can be! You can base your story on any of the theories mentioned in today's Wonder of the Day, or you can develop your own unique story. Share your story with a friend or family member. What do they think? Do they like your explanation? Why or why not?

Mara

Dec 14, 2017

Thinking black cats are bad luck is just a superstition.
I have a black cat, her name is Georgia. She is a little shy but she is all love, affection, and loyalty. I wouldn't change her for any other cat.

Wonderopolis

JC

Nov 13, 2017

This is a really cool story I can not believe that cats have been around for a very long time . I think you should do another one like this for dogs or other animals . When I go outside and see a black cat I have no clue it brought bad luck to me . One time I saw a black cat and I thought it looks like it my have bad luck because it had two very different colored eyes, and the eye colors were gray and blue .I have never seen a cat like that before and I thought it was so cool, and that was why I thought it was bad luck.

Wonderopolis

Nov 15, 2017

We're glad you liked this Wonder, JC!! Many people do believe that black cats bring bad luck, but not everyone thinks that!! Thanks for sharing your connection to this Wonder!! We think that you will also enjoy Wonder #1308: What Determines the Color of Your Eyes? 😺

A.K

Nov 13, 2017

This is a really interesting article.I love cats and all other animals.I never knew black cats could bring bad luck.Sometimes I see a black cat coming near me and it does not bother me at all so I just keep on walking forward.Thank you for your fun article about why do cats bring bad luck.

Wonderopolis

SPL

Mar 13, 2017

I don't believe that article because I have a black cat her name is Ariel. But she was raised on a creepy farm I remember when she was small. But now she is a big fat butterball. She's so cute and so is my other cat Levon but he is black and white

jovanni

Afrobaby

Wonderopolis

Dec 16, 2016

Hey there, jovanni! Thanks for sharing your experience with us. It might have seemed like a black cat gave you bad luck, but perhaps it was just a coincidence. We hope you learned some new things from this Wonder!

Wonderopolis

gogurt

May 1, 2017

Hi, wonderopolis. I have this one question I have always wanted to ask you. So, here it is: Who is answering the comments?! Is it a person or a robot with an attitude? I need to know, so please reply. Thanks!

Captain falcon

Wonderopolis

Oct 16, 2016

Hey there, Captain! Your comment reminded us of the phrase "like herding cats." This is an interesting way of saying it's difficult to organize a group of people to do something. We bet you might run into trouble trying to catch lots of kitties!

Wonderopolis

Christina

Sep 6, 2016

I have no problem with cats at all. But I do with the father and son seeing one on a moonless night. Even with a lantern or candlelight that would of been hard to see, then to be able to stone it. Have you even been out on a moonless night? It's dark. Like can't see your and in front of your face dark. I just have a real problem with the father and son being able to see that black cat on a night like that and throw stones at it. Does anyone else see this or is just me?

Wonderopolis

Sep 6, 2016

We love the WONDERing that you're doing, Christina! You make a great point about the darkness. The story of the father and son is folklore, which means it is probably not true. Rather, it's a popular way of explaining how things came to be. Keep WONDERing with us! :)

Ford

Jun 17, 2016

I own two black kittens and I love them very much its sad people threw stones at black cats back then. My black kittens love to sleep and hunt and play and mostly be lazy.
Its interesting and sad for these little cats.

Shamar

Wonderopolis

Jun 9, 2016

We love that you're WONDERing, Shamar! Sometimes bad things happen to people and there's no explanation for it. So, people might explain bad things happening as being bad luck. It can make people feel better to have an explanation for why bad things happen.

Wonderopolis

Cool rider

Wonderopolis

Feb 24, 2016

Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this Wonder! Sometimes the Wonder of the Day only sparks your interest about the topic. We also encourage you to embark on your own Wonder Journey to learn more! :)

Madigan

Jan 28, 2016

I can't believe that many people believe black cats are bad luck and that over 5,000 years ago ancient Egyptians worshiped cats! Legend says that father and son were traveling on a moonless night when a black cat crossed their path! Is that true?

Lila

Wonderopolis

Oct 1, 2015

Thanks for joining the discussion and sharing your opinion! Unfortunately, black cats do get a bad reputation and are often adopted less often than other cats. That's GREAT that you're advocating for them! :)

Kenja

Wonderopolis

Sep 14, 2015

Hi, Kenja! Thanks for WONDERing with us! We think it is only a myth. Stories have been passed on through generations. However, we respect everyone's opinions about black cats and other superstitions. We appreciate you WONDERing with us! :)

adriana

Sep 9, 2015

Hi wonderopolis I have a black cat named Shera and she is the sweetest thing in the universe! But sometimes she will come in my bedroom and lay on top of me it is so cute! So i don't know why people think black cats are bad luck.

levi

Wonderopolis

Sep 3, 2015

Great question, levi! Stories get passes along from generation to generation. Sometimes they remain true and sometimes people add on to the story or change it up. Storytelling is a great pastime! Thanks for WONDERing with us! :)

keegan

Wonderopolis

Aug 28, 2015

Hi, keegan! Thanks for sharing your opinion about this Wonder! It's a common superstition that black cats bring bad luck. It's interesting to find out where this superstition comes from. We hope you liked this Wonder! :)

jason

Wonderopolis

Aug 26, 2015

Hi, jason! We're sorry to hear you're having trouble with the video. Sometimes your school or organization blocks YouTube and the video won't work. Don't worry though! The true value of the Wonder lies in the text itself. We hope you enjoying learning about the superstitions around black cats! Happy WONDERing! :)

Jennaery

Wonderopolis

Sep 11, 2015

Hi, Jennaery! We're sorry you feel that way. We encourage you to check out the other Wonders on Wonderopolis. There are more than 1,500 Wonders to explore. We know you can find one you love! Always keep WONDERing! :)

Wonderopolis

Wonderopolis

Aug 31, 2015

Hi, levi! Thanks for joining the discussion. Thinking black cats are bad luck is a superstition some people believe in. The Wonder tells us the story traces back to the Middle Ages in Europe. However, some cultures actually honor the black cat. What do you think? We would love to hear your thoughts! :)